Refrigerator and/or freezer

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with an interior to be cooled for accommodating the goods to be refrigerated and/or frozen and with a magnetic cooler, wherein the magnetic cooler is at least partly arranged in the interior of the appliance.

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with an interior to be cooled for accommodating the goods to be refrigerated and/or frozen and with a magnetic cooler.

It is known from the prior art to use a so-called magnetic cooler for cooling the interior of a refrigerator and/or freezer. For such magnetic coolers, different operating principles are known.

For instance, the magnetic cooler can be composed of a magnetocaloric material which is heated upon magnetization and is cooled upon demagnetization. When the heat transfer medium flows through the magnetized and hence heated part of the magnetic cooler, it is heated. The heat transfer medium then traverses a warm heat exchanger, which for instance is located on the outside of the appliance and which is cooled by a suitable cooling medium.

The heat transfer medium traversing the demagnetized and hence cooled region of the magnetic cooler is cooled. The heat transfer medium cooled in this way then reaches the so-called cold heat exchanger, which is arranged such that it cools the interior of the appliance.

It is known to move magnets relative to the magnetic cooler and its heat exchanger or to periodically switch magnets on and off. Said movement can be performed linearly or also rotatorily. It is also conceivable to move not the magnets, but the heat exchanger of the magnetic cooler relative to the magnet.

In accordance with a further operating principle, it is provided that particles of a magnetocaloric material are incorporated in the heat transfer medium and the heat transfer medium then is heated due to the fact that the magnetocaloric material is magnetized and thus heated. Cooling is achieved in that the magnetocaloric material is demagnetized, which results in a reduction in temperature of the magnetocaloric material and also of the heat transfer medium.

The invention comprises any kind of configuration and operating principle of a magnetic cooler.

The commonly used appliances, which employ a refrigerant compressor positioned outside the appliance, furthermore are known from the prior art. Preferably, the same is arranged in the lower region on the back of the appliance.

It is the object underlying the present invention to develop a refrigerator and/or freezer as mentioned above such that the same achieves an efficient cooling with simple means.

This object is solved by a refrigerator and/or freezer with the features of claim 1. Accordingly, it is provided that the magnetic cooler is at least partly arranged in the interior of the appliance.

The invention furthermore relates to a refrigerator and/or freezer with an interior to be cooled for accommodating the goods to be refrigerated and/or frozen, with a magnetic cooler and with a thermal insulation, which is arranged between the interior of the appliance and the surroundings of the appliance, wherein the magnetic cooler is at least partly arranged in the thermal insulation.

In said first alternative of the invention, the magnetic cooler thus is partly or completely arranged in the interior of the refrigerator and/or freezer, which provides the essential advantage that the cold conduits of the magnetic cooler need not be insulated. Due to the arrangement of the magnetic cooler in the interior, the cold conduits, i.e. the conduits carrying the cooled heat transfer medium, are located in the interior of the appliance, whereby a thermal insulation thereof can be omitted, and whereby an undesired input of heat into the heat transfer medium can be prevented.

In said second alternative of the invention it is provided that the appliance includes an interior to be cooled for accommodating the goods to be refrigerated and/or frozen, a magnetic cooler and a thermal insulation, which serves to reduce the input of heat into the interior of the appliance. In accordance with the invention, it is provided that the magnetic cooler is at least partly arranged in the thermal insulation.

It is conceivable that the conduits carrying the cold heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged inside the interior of the appliance.

It is furthermore conceivable that the conduits carrying the cold heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged in the thermal insulation of the appliance.

In both of the aforementioned cases, a separate thermal insulation of the cold conduits can be omitted, since the same are arranged in the interior of the appliance and in the already existing thermal insulation of the appliance, so that an additional thermal insulation is not required.

It is furthermore conceivable that the conduits carrying the cold heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged inside the thermal insulation of the appliance and partly in the interior of the appliance, where they are connected with a cold heat exchanger.

The arrangement of the cold heat exchanger largely can be as desired. The cold heat exchanger can for instance be arranged in the interior or also on the outside of the inner container or in the foam fill.

In a further aspect of the invention it is provided that the conduits carrying the warm heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged outside the thermal insulation of the appliance, i.e. preferably on the outside of the appliance.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the conduits carrying the warm heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged in the thermal insulation of the appliance.

It is conceivable, for instance, that the magnetic cooler is arranged inside the thermal insulation of the appliance such that its cold side is located in the interior of the appliance and its warm side is located on the outside of the appliance.

It is furthermore conceivable that the magnetic cooler is located in the thermal insulation of the appliance and from there the conduits carrying the cold heat transfer medium possibly lead through the thermal insulation into the interior of the appliance and the conduits carrying the warm heat transfer medium possibly lead through the thermal insulation to the outside of the appliance and there preferably are connected with the warm heat exchanger, by means of which heat is dissipated from the heat transfer medium.

In an embodiment illustrated below, the magnetic cooler is arranged in the interior of the refrigerator and/or freezer. It is provided that the conduits leading to/from the magnetic cooler are not insulated.

Due to the arrangement of the magnetic cooler in the interior of the appliance, the length of the conduits to the cold heat exchanger is minimal, as the cold is produced at the point where it is needed.

Energy losses on the cold side thus are not to be expected.

In a further aspect of the invention, the magnetic cooler is positioned such that the same is located in the thermal insulation of the appliance. It is provided that the cold side of the magnetic cooler is located in the interior and the warm side of the magnetic cooler is located outside the appliance. There is no necessity to insulate the conduits of the warm and cold sides.

There are no energy losses via the conduits.

The configuration of the refrigerator and/or freezer in accordance with the invention thus is comparatively simple, as it preferably is provided that a thermal insulation of the cold conduits, i.e. of the conduits of the magnetic cooler carrying the cold heat transfer medium, can be omitted. When the magnetic cooler is arranged in the interior of the appliance, cold is efficiently produced where it is needed for cooling the goods to be refrigerated and/or frozen. 

1. A refrigerator and/or freezer with an interior to be cooled for accommodating the goods to be refrigerated and/or frozen and with a magnetic cooler, wherein the magnetic cooler is at least partly arranged in the interior of the appliance.
 2. The refrigerator and/or freezer with an interior to be cooled for accommodating the goods to be refrigerated and/or frozen, with a magnetic cooler and with a thermal insulation which is arranged between the interior of the appliance and the surroundings of the appliance, wherein the magnetic cooler is at least partly arranged in the thermal insulation.
 3. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein the conduits carrying the cold heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged inside the interior of the appliance.
 4. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein the conduits carrying the cold heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged in the thermal insulation of the appliance.
 5. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein the conduits carrying the warm heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged outside the thermal insulation on the outside of the appliance.
 6. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein the conduits carrying the warm heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged in the thermal insulation of the appliance.
 7. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic cooler is arranged inside the thermal insulation of the appliance, and that its cold side is located in the interior of the appliance and its warm side is located on the outside of the appliance.
 8. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 2, wherein the conduits carrying the cold heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged inside the interior of the appliance.
 9. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 2, wherein the conduits carrying the cold heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged in the thermal insulation of the appliance.
 10. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 2, wherein the conduits carrying the warm heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged outside the thermal insulation on the outside of the appliance.
 11. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 2, wherein the conduits carrying the warm heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged in the thermal insulation of the appliance.
 12. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 2, wherein the magnetic cooler is arranged inside the thermal insulation of the appliance, and that its cold side is located in the interior of the appliance and its warm side is located on the outside of the appliance.
 13. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 3, wherein the conduits carrying the cold heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged in the thermal insulation of the appliance.
 14. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 8, wherein the conduits carrying the cold heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged in the thermal insulation of the appliance.
 15. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 3, wherein the conduits carrying the warm heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged outside the thermal insulation on the outside of the appliance.
 16. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 4, wherein the conduits carrying the warm heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged outside the thermal insulation on the outside of the appliance.
 17. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 8, wherein the conduits carrying the warm heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged outside the thermal insulation on the outside of the appliance.
 18. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 9, wherein the conduits carrying the warm heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged outside the thermal insulation on the outside of the appliance.
 19. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 3, wherein the conduits carrying the warm heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged in the thermal insulation of the appliance.
 20. The refrigerator and/or freezer according to claim 8, wherein the conduits carrying the warm heat transfer medium are at least partly arranged in the thermal insulation of the appliance. 